6 weeks into "two weeks to flatten curve"

This should all be helping us to be more creative, and enjoy some of the simplicity we once owned.

Today I literally watched the paint dry on the deck we replaced. My back needed the break from painting it yesterday.

Just sitting around I've found it hard to keep my hands away from my face even tho I wash them all the time. Then I thought of a sure-fire method to avoid the habit.

Have a beer in one hand and a whisky in the other.

2lucky .. the simpler times were prob in there peak in the 50’s, 60’s. Not saying necessarily easier in many regards. 


Nice job on the deck, great idea on the beer......

Quote from: Volkemon on April 23, 2020, 07:30:47 am

Quote from: BlueBlaze on April 22, 2020, 03:41:56 pm

6 weeks into our national "2 weeks to flatten the curve", I'm about to say to heck with it and hit the road.  This stupid thing already cost me an Alaska cruise.  Now it's cutting into my RV time!

WOW.  There are people that still want to go on cruises?!?!     We abandoned those floating petri dishes several years ago... and now?!? It would have to be a large payout to get me on one, much less PAY for one!!! 

I do think of the full timers in RV's. Must be insane. We do send a prayer up for their relief. But for those people that rely on campgrounds, and there being a shortage of same at the moment, it seems very self centered to leave a good house 'just for cheap gas and to do something interesting' while knowing others may be left without a spot to park.

As 28 year Escapees, we hurt for those stuck on the road trying to find semi permanent parking.  We also understand those whose travel plans in their later years have been severely disrupted. 
We don’t hear anyone addressing the obvious issue...why are masks not required to be worn by everyone?  If their only purpose according to the CDC and the Surgeon General of the United States is to prevent spread of the Covid 19, and other countries mandate this as actual law...what the heck is going on in this country?  We live just outside the Bay Area where five counties including San Mateo, Santa Clara and SanFrancisco have face mask mandates....yet most California counties don’t. 
This whole scenario just doesn’t make sense...how serious is this problem if we’re not REQUIRED to wear masks when you leave your residence?
In addition, California Hospitals are laying off nurses and doctors and our Governor is sending ventilators and other nurses and doctors to New York to assist their medical professionals....all while we deal with this continued lockdown..hmmmm.

Let me just answer that question about masks.

WE DON'T ALL LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO!

Here in Houston, my odds of dying from COVID-19, as of this morning's figures are 1 in 59,040.

That's lower than my risk of poisoning, overdose, homicide, car crash, suicide, and slipping in the bath tub.

That's 100 times less than my odds of dying from a heart attack (1 in 494).

But don't let that lead you to believe that sanity exists outside of San Francisco.  If I'm caught outside my home without a mask in Harris County, as of this week, it's a $1,000 fine.

This forum has been my last refuge from ideological and political discussions up to now (even Escapees forum has succumbed to tribe mentality) and I should ignore this and move on but I can't. All the bravado about being infected, not infected, death rates vs flu, personal liberty,  etc are meaningless to me for a simple reason,  I have a 2 1/2 year old grandson with respiratory problems,  probably will prevent him from ever being a distance runner but otherwise not much impact.  However, his pediatric specialist has informed us that if he becomes infected,  he won't get sick but will die. My personal liberty says that anyone who acts in a way to place him at harm is a threat and should be treated as such. Period.

Blue Blaze, I am so ready to blow this pop stand!  We winterized Gopher in August as we had some medical and dental stuff coming up in the Fall. In Nov. I had to make an emergency trip to Canada.  When I got home I got the worst cold I can remember with fevers for about three weeks.  I was just catching up around the house and BOOM Covid hits and here we are, almost May.  We've been playing by the rules but are anxiously waiting for things to open up so we have somewhere, anywhere to go...

Just some random observations:. I would be quite curious about the antibodies testing.  I could've picked up something standing in a 2 hr. line in the international terminal (Customs) in Toronto or, most likely my very generous germ factories, I mean my grandkids sharing their "crud" with me.

My hat is off to all you Midwesterners, you are some really strong folks.  I barely saw the sun shine between Nov. and Jan. Ontario re-opened their campgrounds to only the full-timers and snowbirds that were requested to return home, no doubt earlier than planned.

As for masks, it may be a day late and a dollar short now.  I see it as a personal preference this late in the game. I find it absolutely stupid that they are threatening arrest or citations for not wearing one. I'm sure the police have more important things to do.
Speaking of masks, I made about 50 and got bored.  An 89 year old lady in town, tapped out after making 300.  I feel shame!

We've probably been buying too much stuff for the RV that we don't really need.  Amazon is dangerous.

I have been cooking double meals so I can freeze the extra to be ready to hit the road soon.  I've also been baking (and eating) too much...
Yes,.you can bake bread in a Crock-Pot.  I used the small one we have in the RV and look forward to trying it in a campground.....Instant pot bread was a failure.

Doug, your deck looks great, nice view too!  Shhhhh, don't tell Don, I'm going to get him a Pocket Fishing pole.

I got a toilet brush.  Toilet paper works better.  Sorry, I just had to throw a Grandpa joke in there.

Safe travels to all, hopefully soon.
Patti

Quote from: Funseekers on April 23, 2020, 04:41:57 pm

Quote from: Volkemon on April 23, 2020, 07:30:47 am

Quote from: BlueBlaze on April 22, 2020, 03:41:56 pm

6 weeks into our national "2 weeks to flatten the curve", I'm about to say to heck with it and hit the road.  This stupid thing already cost me an Alaska cruise.  Now it's cutting into my RV time!

WOW.  There are people that still want to go on cruises?!?!     We abandoned those floating petri dishes several years ago... and now?!? It would have to be a large payout to get me on one, much less PAY for one!!! 

I do think of the full timers in RV's. Must be insane. We do send a prayer up for their relief. But for those people that rely on campgrounds, and there being a shortage of same at the moment, it seems very self centered to leave a good house 'just for cheap gas and to do something interesting' while knowing others may be left without a spot to park.

As 28 year Escapees, we hurt for those stuck on the road trying to find semi permanent parking.  We also understand those whose travel plans in their later years have been severely disrupted. 
We don’t hear anyone addressing the obvious issue...why are masks not required to be worn by everyone?  If their only purpose according to the CDC and the Surgeon General of the United States is to prevent spread of the Covid 19, and other countries mandate this as actual law...what the heck is going on in this country?  We live just outside the Bay Area where five counties including San Mateo, Santa Clara and SanFrancisco have face mask mandates....yet most California counties don’t. 
This whole scenario just doesn’t make sense...how serious is this problem if we’re not REQUIRED to wear masks when you leave your residence?
In addition, California Hospitals are laying off nurses and doctors and our Governor is sending ventilators and other nurses and doctors to New York to assist their medical professionals....all while we deal with this continued lockdown..hmmmm.

Let me just answer that question about masks.

WE DON'T ALL LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO!

Here in Houston, my odds of dying from COVID-19, as of this morning's figures are 1 in 59,040.

That's lower than my risk of poisoning, overdose, homicide, car crash, suicide, and slipping in the bath tub.

That's 100 times less than my odds of dying from a heart attack (1 in 494).

But don't let that lead you to believe that sanity exists outside of San Francisco.  If I'm caught outside my home without a mask in Harris County, as of this week, it's a $1,000 fine.

There is little evidence that common masks prevent one from getting the virus (if fitted and worn properly surgical or N-95 masks do however reduce that risk to some extent). Therefore one wears a mask not to protect themselves, but to protect others.  Others like Dogyard's grandson. You could have the virus yet not know it, as most people carrying the virus are asymptomatic, and you could give it to others who may become sick and possibly, especially if vulnerable, like his grandson, die. I personally have no fear of death, by corvid-19 or otherwise, yet I am using precautions (such as wearing a mask, social distancing etc.), as I believe that others may not feel the same way I do about dying and I have no right to challenge their beliefs by making them sick. In a society, personal liberty cannot be without limits. "My liberty to throw my fists ends where your nose begins"   

I get it if your grandkid would die you don’t want them to get it. I’ve been told with my underlying health it would most kill me as well.  All that aside I know then to be careful and stay safe as I can. I do not however expect 20 +percent of the country to go with out a job to save my life. I do not feel my friends should lose their businesses just to attempt to keep me a bit safer.  I feel it’s my responsibility to use common sense not one political side or the other... mine.  Our economy is our life support. Killing our children’s and grand children’s future is stupid.  Just plain stupid.  If you live in a hot spot use your head. Why in the world should people living in states with no issues like North or South Dakota as an example suffer for New York or San Fran? They damn sure wouldn’t shut down their economy for those states if the tables were turned.

And repub or dem the feds shouldn’t bail out states that stay shut down . People work ,states get income.  In the mean time California as an example is losing income by vast amounts but yet they’re going to give every illegal money to get thru the shut down.  Give me a break, I don’t care what party your with why should the feds bail out a state that gives it away to people who are here illegally.   Just plain stupid.   

So, to roll this string to a more positive focus...
We would once have celebrated weeks at home to catch up on chores, plan future adventures and generally laze about. But reality is different and everyone is going stir crazy. So, what to do?
- Google online volunteer opportunities. John worked for Project Guttenberg for years proofreading scanned books. - I don't know which site but there is a citizen science type thing with mapping that helps fix Google maps and such, lots of other citizen science opportunities also
- Check your local library site. Many have amazing downloadable books, movies, textbooks, business guides, magazines, etc. Play with your library's stuff or contact them to see where you can help.
- Check your church, offer to help
- If aren't afraid of catching the virus, are going stir crazy, need out... Volunteer at one of the organizations that is deemed essential. Many are helping the poor, doing support work for essential services (firemen, police, etc.) Many are short handed due to illness and at risk volunteers that can no longer help. You are allowed out of you are working essential services.
- If you have friends worried about their business, help them prep for reopening. Brainstorm ways to get customers back in the door.
- Travel online. Many National Parks, museums, aquariums and such are running virtual tours and programs (if you are a techie, volunteer to help someone create their virtual tour)
- If you have grandkids, use Zoom or face time of some such. Teach them a skill, tell them life stories, connect.

Anyone with links to good online volunteer or activity sites, please share!

Man, it always has to be political! I would give anything if people could, for just once in this country, conduct themselves according to the facts, rather than which TV station they get their news from, or which of those two geriatric morons they plan to vote for next November.

But we're here, so here's my "politics":

None of us remember the Great Depression, but I grew up in dust bowl Oklahoma and heard the stories. Personally, I don't care to know what armadillos or tumbleweeds taste like.  And I'd like to spare my grandkids the experience.

We survived 80,000 dead from Swine Flu just 11 years ago, by simply living though it.  But we have no idea what happens when 4 million people lose their job in one week, or what happens when you print 6 trillion dollars and pass it out like candy.  Call me a crazy daredevil, but when facing a major crises, I prefer to go with what worked last time. 

By the way, I resent the implication that I'm somehow irresponsible because I'm more worried about what kind of world your grandkid will inherit, than whether he will catch it.  If your child can't survive being exposed, then make sure he's not exposed.  I just think it's dumb to shut down the entire world, just to make it easier to isolate your kid.  By the way, I'm 65, overweight, with high blood pressure and asthma.  So if your asthmatic grandson is at risk, I'm a dead man walking.  Which is why I've been wearing a mask, since before it was the law.  I even make them.  If you need one, let me know.

Anyway, sorry for this.  I was really just hoping to learn if the campgrounds were open, and I see that they aren't. Guess I'll go work that stupid 500-piece puzzle again for the third time.

Guess I'll go work that stupid 500-piece puzzle again for the third time.

Or do what I did and buy a Saturn Sky (I named it Money-Pit) that ended up needing a whole lot more TLC than it was supposed to.  This thing is consuming most of my time and way too much money....just ask Irene.  But perfection comes at a price.

On our PC, I was hoping to change out the front springs to the next level softer and get new Alcoa wheels and tires.  They will have to wait until Money-Pit is done.

Things to do:
   https://wnpf.org/field-trips/  western national parks fund virtual tours. Many National Park properties have videos and tours online. Go explore!

   https://seaturtleinc.org videos and virtual tours on different parts of website, this page had dissection of a squid when I copied it. Haven't watched. Limited data and grandchild with us doing distance learning so that's priority use. Many aquariums, zoos and science centers have virtual tours.

   https://www.gutenberg.org. Project Guttenberg   https://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Category:Volunteering

   https://www.si.edu/volunteer/citizenscience Smithsonian Institute

   https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/americaletsdolunch/faqs  Meals on Wheels - this one gets you out but puts you in exposure zone so only for those ready for such things.

This last one is a service set up by and being performed by teens https://teenshelpingseniors.org - if you have service oriented grandkids maybe you can help them set up or join a chapter. If you are in one of their communities and don't want to go out, contact them. It's an awesome example of community and good will.

Contact tracing - some states are hiring (paid or volunteer) people to do contract tracing for Covid-19. They need thousands of people to make calls and track exposures. The quicker they get this up and running, the quicker they reopen things. Google the name of your state and the words contact tracing - see if you can help. Much of it is done via computer and phone.

So, pick one, pick three, find others and share! The four walls are closing in but you can push them back and do something useful- volunteer, learn new things, explore, and more!

Or buy a spiffy looking money pit and commiserate with Ron. 

Blue.   I grew up in a small town in ND . 6 kids in my class in school.  My parents went thru that depression, when they got married they worked for room and board on a farm for 2 years , no money, just food and a roof over their head. I used to sit and listen to the old timers at the gas station talking about the depression. Most had little before it even hit and beyond nothing when it did. Starvation was common. With all of us so accustomed to our current way of life can you imagine it going to that again! In the metro area people would be killing each other by the masses. I pray we don’t go there again... I fear if we don’t get our country back to work there’s a tipping point where we it may be too late. Can you imagine us doing it to ourselves?



If anyone wants some stress relief during this.... turn off All news .... all of it, no Papers, no local news, not so much as long enough to hear the weather report. Try it for 2 weeks. It’s awesome.
One of the things I loved about being on the road in the PC. We don’t listen to the radio and no news on tv...    I hate the news, not for journalism but the media itself. It’s all agenda driven, worse than any scripted tv show.

Blue, actually we do know what happens when a country tries to buy their way out by printing currency. But I think you were being rhetorical.  Been several countries that tried it. Venezuela is going thru it now, Germany’s a prime example of a Gov trying to print currency to buy their way out. Zimbabwe is another and I think Hungary was a big one but I’d need to go back to the books to see if it was them or some other Eastern block I’ve forgotten.  I’m betting there’s more but hey let’s not learn anything from history.

Quote from: BlueBlaze on April 25, 2020, 08:31:42 pm

Guess I'll go work that stupid 500-piece puzzle again for the third time.

Or do what I did and buy a Saturn Sky (I named it Money-Pit) that ended up needing a whole lot more TLC than it was supposed to.  This thing is consuming most of my time and way too much money....just ask Irene.  But perfection comes at a price.

On our PC, I was hoping to change out the front springs to the next level softer and get new Alcoa wheels and tires.  They will have to wait until Money-Pit is done.

Yeah, but they sure look cool!

Wanna trade for my money pit?

I have found it is always best to rely on yourself for most things, including not putting yourself (or your family, neighbors, friends, etc.) in harm's way if you can avoid it.   If you are allergic to peanuts, look at and question what's in the food you are eating.  Don't depend on someone else (especially people you don't know) decide if your food is free of peanuts.

If you are susceptible to a particular contagious disease, don't put yourself in a crowd of people who may or may not have that disease.   Don't depend on them to protect you.

If you are sick, stay home, don't go to work, stay inside, if you have to go to a doctor, do everything you can to not pass whatever you have to others.

Summing it up... Be aware and stay aware, don't depend on others to shelter you from their issues... Whatever those issues may be.